Dagenham flying sites
Note: This map only shows the general location of Dagenham within the UK.
DAGENHAM see also FORD MOTOR COMPANY helipad
DAGENHAM EXPERIMENTAL FLYING GROUND: Early test flying establishment
Operated by: The ‘Aeronautical Society of Great Britain’, (later the ‘Royal Aeronautical Society’), it was operated by the Aeronautical Society Aero Club members, and accorded ‘Royal’ status by King Edward VII on the 16th February 1910.
Location: Just E of Dagenham Docks, SE of Dagenham railway station, partly on the later Ford Motor works factory
Period of operation: 1909
Runways: A roughly square plot, presumably ‘more-or-less’ an 'all-over' area
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Mike Holder is a great friend of this 'Guide' and in 2022 took it upon himself to see what might be available in terms of press articles, maps and pictures etc. Have to say I was surprised by the astonishing results. Hope you will be too.
The Notice was published in the Daily News (London) on the 17th April 1909.
The Article One was published in the Essex Newsman on the 7th August 1909. Article Two was published in the Daily Mirror on the 19th August 1909.
THREE EXCERPTS, A MAP AND A PICTURE FROM: Essex and its Race for the Skies
Notice Two was published in the Chelmsford Chronicle on the 20th August 1909. The photo and caption was published, along with the article above, in the Daily Mirror on the 19th August 1909.
NOTES: Philip Jarrett has very kindly offered me advice on the earliest aerodromes in the UK, (as opposed to sites used usually by a single individual), and, in order of appearance these are DAGENHAM, FAMBRIDGE (ESSEX) and SHELLBEACH (KENT). Philip tells me that the lease agreements for DAGENHAM were exchanged on the 19th January 1909. However, it appears that the first flight attempt was by Frederick Handley Page on a Saul Quadruplane on a Tuesday, the 25th May 1909.
Later, Handley Page set up his own site at nearby BARKING CREEK, (see Barking Flying Sites)
THE AEROPLANES
During the summer of 1909 a few aeroplanes or flying machines were based here. Accounts of what they were seem to vary, as do who the owners were. But here is a guesstimate:
Major B F S Baden-Powell, (brother of the Chief Scout), had a quadruplane . John V Neale had his monoplane ‘Pup’ based here in preference to SHELLBEACH on the Isle of Sheppey in KENT
Mr G Deverall Saul had his rather strange tandem biplane, built by Handley Page probably (?) at 36 William Street in Woolwich? It seems that Frederick Handley Page himself test-flew this aircraft and it lifted off several times from it’s trolley. The Australian mining engineer Mr C A Moreing apparently had a large Voisin biplane kept here. He also had an airship kept here and it seems he’d made his fortune out of gold mining.
It also now appears a Mr W Moreing was operating a Voisin biplane from here in early 1910. I think it is very important indeed to record these people because history does tend to give the impression that only a few now famous people were flying in those days in the UK. The fact being that at least a couple of dozen more, like Mr Moreing, were also experimenting with the new fangled business of flying.
DAGENHAM: Civil temporary aerodrome (Also known as CENTRAL PARK)
Operated by: Sir Alan Cobham's National Aviation Day 1933 and 1934 tours, British Hospitals Air Pageant 1933 tour
Location: 1nm NNE of Dagenham town centre
Period of operation: 1920s and 30s?
Runways: ‘All over’ grass airfield?
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
Note: The article in two parts was published in the Eastern Counties Times' on the 13th July 1933.
Note; The newspaper article was published in the Eastern Counties' Times on the 23rd July 1933. The local area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES: In 1933 the initial venue of Sir Alan Cobham’s UK No.1 Tour was, (14th & 15th April). These two tours ran concurrently, and the No.1 Tour, starting here was planned to visit 116 venues, ending at CHERTSEY LANE, Staines on the 8th October. The No.2 Tour started at HOLT FARM, Southend, also on the 14th and 15th April, and was planned to visit 161 venues, ending at MAYLANDS aerodrome, Romford, also on the 8th October.
British Hospitals Air Pageant tour (23rd July 1933). This tour started at LUTON on the 1st and 2nd April, and was planned to visit 150 venues. CENTRAL PARK was the 86th venue and the tour ended at WOOLWICH (London) on the 8th October.
Also, initial venue (14th April 1934) for Sir Alan Cobham’s 1934 Tour of the UK. This tour was planned to visit 159 venues and also ended at MAYLANDS aerodrome, but finished on the 30th September.
DAGENHAM COMMON: Very temporary airstrip
NOTES: This is exactly the sort of story I loved to discover during my research. It does seem that in June 1938 the historic Douglas DC.1 prototype airliner was consigned to Viscount Forbes. Being too large to pass through the dock gates, (where?), it was taken ashore by lighter at Dagenham and erected by K.L.M. engineers on DAGENHAM COMMON.
I can only guess where this might be today but presumably in the area between Creekmouth and Hornchurch Marshes? It seems that Capt W Rogers of Imperial Airways flew the DC.1 from here to CROYDON. Easy to tell of course but I wonder what the full story of this flight entailed?
Dean Clapton
This comment was written on: 2018-02-20 14:49:22DAGENHAM COMMON: Very temporary airstrip. A very interesting story, heard about this before and I remember being told that a DC1 flew from Castle Green in Dagenham about this time. This is a piece of land just north of the A13 near Gale Street. Believe it is also called Castle Bar Park. When I went to school near there in the 70s, the green was almost a mile long then. Dean Clapton
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Dean, Many thanks indeed. I shall certainly keep this posted. I wonder if anybody else can kindly expand on the subject. Best regards, Dick
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